Environmental Science, Policy, and Problem Solving Fall 2016

M, W, F 11:30 to 12:30, 022 Clow Hall

Credits: 3 Prerequisites: ES 260, 261, and 282

Instructor: Colin Long; 4457 Sage; 424 2182;

Office Hours: Tuesday 10am to 1 pm, Wednesday 2 to 4 pm

Text: readings are posted on D2L

Course objectives

The goal of this course is to provide you with a better understanding of the interaction between laws, policy, and informed environmental science. The class willfocus on several laws designed to protect ecosystems or specific portions of the biosphere. The class will also look at how these laws match with existing knowledge of how ecosystems operate. In addition, we will explore how policy is created and influences legislation.

The learning outcomes for this class are:

1. Explain how legislation is made and the influence that policy has on legislation

2. Describe the way in which policy is made

3. Discuss how people influence and are influenced by policy

4. Explain how science is incorporated into legislative action

5. Describe the impact that environmental legislation has had on ecosystems

6. Outline major environmental issues of the present in terms of the science and current competing policy agents.

A more general goal of this class is to contribute to your overall “liberal arts” education. Such an education gives you a broad background in the ideas and events that have in some way shaped our modern lives (for better or for worse). It increases your awareness of the diversity and complexity of human life and thought, it “expands your mind”. A liberal arts education does not usually teach you how to do a particular sort of job, it does develop skills that are increasingly necessary in any job. These include the ability to quickly understand complicated readings on unfamiliar subjects, to express your thoughts clearly and persuasively, and to reason critically, creatively, and independently.

Assessment: Your final grade is based on your scores from 2 exams, class presentation of 2 current environmental issues and a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a proposed activity. The exams will cover subjects discussed in lecture and the readings. The class presentations should describe a current environmental issue found in a recent publication and the draft EIS will focus on a selected proposed activity. Points will be distributed as follows: 1st exam 25 points, 2nd exam 30 points, current issues presentations 20 points,EIS 25 points. TOTAL = 100 points

Evaluation: There will be no curve. Students will strive for mastery rather than competing against each other. A = 100-93 points, A- = 92-90 points, B+ = 89-87 points, B = 86-83 points, B- = 82 – 80, C+ = 79 – 77 points, C = 76 – 72 points, C - = 71-69 points, D+ = 68-66 points, D = 65-63 points, D- = 62 – 60 points, F = less than 60 points. Without acceptable documentation of illness or other emergency, failure take an exam at the appointed times will result in a score of 0 for that exam. Without acceptable documentation of illness or other emergency, failure to participate in an assigned presentation will result in a 0 for that presentation. Failure to turn in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the due date will result in the loss of 5 points for each day it is late. There will be no extra credit opportunities in this class.

Special Accommodations: Reasonable accommodations will be made for students with disabilities. Please contact Disability Services (424-3100 (voice) or 424-1319 (TTY)) or visit their web site at for the University’s accommodation request form and documentation requirements. Information related to an individual’s accommodation request will be kept confidential

Academic Integrity (from the Dean of Students Office)

The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh is committed to a standard of academic integrity for all students. The system guidelines state: "Students are responsible for the honest completion and representation of their work, for the appropriate citation of sources, and for respect of others' academic endeavors." (UWS 14.01, Wisconsin Administrative Code)

Students are subject to disciplinary action for academic misconduct, which is defined inUWS 14.03, Wisconsin Administrative Code. Students on the UW Oshkosh campus have been suspended from the University for academic misconduct. Students are encouraged to review the procedures related to violations of academic honesty as outlined in Chapter UWS 14, Wisconsin Administrative Code. The system guidelines and local procedures are printed in the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Student Discipline Code 2006-2007 and can be found on the Dean of Students website at

Tentative Schedule

Day / Subject / Assignment
Sept.7 / Introduction to the course
Sept.9 / What is environmental law?
Sept.12 / History of environmental law in the U. S. / Kraft and Vig 2003
Sept.14 / History of environmental law in the U. S.
Sept.16 / History of environmental law in the U. S. / Current Issues 1 and 2
Sept.19 / History of environmental law in the U. S.
Sept.21
Sept.23 / What is risk? / NSC Risk assessment
Current Issues 3 and 4
Sept. 26 / What is risk?
Sept. 28 / Precautionary principle / Foster et al. 2000, Graham 2004;
Sept. 30 / Clean Air Act/Clean Water Act overview / Stoddard et al. 2004
Current Issues 5 and 6
Oct. 3 / Clean Air Act/Clean Water Act
Oct.5 / Precautionary principle / Current Issues 7 and 8
Oct.7
Oct. 10 / EXAM 1
Oct.12 / National Environmental Policy Act overview / BLM handbook
Oct. 14 / National Environmental Policy Act / Current Issues 9, 10, 11
Oct. 17 / Endangered Species Act overview
Oct. 19 / Endangered Species Act
Oct. 21 / MUSY/ National Forest Management Act/Healthy Forest Act overview / Current Issues 12, 13, 14
Oct. 24 / MUSY/ National Forest Management Act/Healthy Forest Act
Oct. 26 / MUSY/ National Forest Management Act/Healthy Forest Act
Oct. 28 / Current Issues 15, 16, 17
Oct. 31 / EIS discussion / Stone Chpt. 5
Nov. 2 / Liberty in policy / Stone Chpt 5
Nov. 4 / Current Issues 18, 19, 20
Nov. 7 / Security in policy / Stone Chpt 6
Nov. 9
Nov. 11 / Current Issues 21, 22, 23
Nov. 14 / Numbers in policy / Stone Chpt. 8
Nov. 16
Nov.18 / Causes in policy / SstoneChpt. 9
Current Issues 24, 25, 26
Nov. 23
Nov. 25-27 / Thanksgiving Break
Nov. 28 / EIS research
Nov. 30 / Environmental issues: energy
Dec. 2 / Current Issues 27 and 28
Dec. 5
Dec. 7 / Environmental issues: biodiversity / Draft EIS due
Dec. 9
Dec. 12
Dec. 14 / EXAM 2
Dec. 16 / Course conclusion

Current issues presentations should include:

Synopsys of the issue (include a copy of the article)3 points

The reason for or conflicting interests portrayed in the issue2 points

How legislation or policy is affecting the issue or

might be changed to resolve the issue3 points

Presentation organization 2

Draft Environmental Impact Statements

Information about the Draft EIS will be distributed in class.

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